The present invention pertains to gas separation, and more particularly to gas separation devices using a solid sorbent for a vaporous or gaseous constituent.
In gas separation devices, particularly those used in the nuclear field to remove radioactive constituents from a gas stream, it is necessary to, from time to time, remove the radioactive solid sorbent material from the gas separation device prior to recharging the gas separation device with fresh uncontaminated solid sorbent material. It is not only important that all of the radioactive solid sorbent material be removed, but also that it be removed without contaminating the ambient atmosphere, or equipment and personnel which may be nearby. An additional consideration is that the contaminated radioactive sorbent material be rapidly removed in order to reduce expensive down time of the gas separator device.